The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge as of the priority date of the application.
Players who regularly play gaming machines tire of particular games as the entertainment factor or winning opportunities reduce or become staid. Therefore, it has become necessary for manufacturers of these machines to develop innovative games that differ from previous types of games and have variety and bonuses in the form of features or jackpot awards that add interest to the games. In so doing, it is hoped to keep players entertained and, therefore, interested in continuing to play the game, as well as attract new players to the game.
With the growth that has occurred in the gaming machine market, there is intense competition between manufacturers to supply gaming machines to venues that provide for the playing of these machines. When selecting a supplier of gaming machines, the operator of a venue will usually pay close attention to the popularity of various games played by their patrons. Therefore, gaming machine manufacturers are continually devising new games and/or bonuses that are popular with players in order to improve sales, retain customers and attract new customers.
One form of gaming machine that has proven to be particularly popular over the years has been the spinning reel machine. These types of machines have now evolved into displaying a number of simulated, or “virtual,” reels displayed on video display systems having various symbols displayed at prescribed locations on the reels. Each reel has a prescribed number of positions that correspond to positions in an array whereby the position and sequence in the array may be represented by a symbol bearing some distinctive value in a sequence of symbols in paylines or generally distributed on the display screen of the same or predefined type.
The individual reels are simulated to rotate during a play, and stop in a position that may be required to be positioned relative to a predefined pattern within the video display to show one or more rows of symbols, paylines or random distributions from adjacent reels or the totality of reels in a window or in a virtual display. In this manner, the reels are usually aligned to form a regular matrix of rows and columns of symbols that are displayed to the player for analysis of winning or losing events by the player or a processor associated with the electronic gaming machine (EGM).
A common window configuration is a matrix of three rows and five columns, but other combinations are also known. By virtue of adopting a regular matrix, it has become common to adopt one or more paylines that are defined across the matrix and can be displayed in the window. For example, the center row, the top row, the bottom row, (all horizontal) and possibly one or more meander lines (e.g., non-straight or zig-zag lines). A payline identifies the particular combination of positions at which symbols are located within the matrix, extending logically across the columns and through rows, that is considered for determining whether the outcome is a winning outcome, or whether a bonus win or trigger symbol occurrence arises from a play or not. Random distributions of particular symbols (“scatter pays”) may also be used to provide winning outcomes, bonus triggers and bonus wins. These scatter pay events do not necessarily require the symbols to be adjacent or in any predefined order, but merely appear in sufficient number on the display screen.
In order to increase betting opportunities available to the player, some games have been developed that adopt up to 40 or more paylines. In these and other arrangements, non-straight paylines and scatter pays are also known. Typically, most gaming machines provide for selection of up to 25 paylines.
The player may select (by wagering or purchasing) one or more paylines per game. The paylines are normally automatically selected by a processor in a fixed sequence. For example, if the player selects one payline, this will normally be the central horizontal line. Similarly, selecting two paylines will activate the center payline and the top horizontal payline. The player may also select the amount wagered per line. A payline is active if the player has wagered sufficient amounts of credits or value so that a sufficient amount activates paylines to include a particular payline or specifically selected individual paylines or groups of paylines. Paylines that are not active are inactive.
Most gaming machines are designed so that the player has the highest probability of winning and/or triggering a bonus award or event when the maximum number of paylines is selected. This, however, means that the player has to wager a comparatively large amount for each play, compared to the minimum amount that may be wagered for a play of the machine. Volatility is related to the size of the bonus or pays awarded relative to the frequency of winning. Having bonuses or pays awarded less often for comparatively large amounts is known as high volatility, whereas bonuses or pays being awarded more often for comparatively small amounts is known as low volatility.
Typically, bonuses are triggered when a bonus trigger symbol occurrence (e.g., a specific symbol or multiple specific symbols) is generated by a processor and the specific symbol or multiple specific symbols are displayed in the window. Alternatively, a bonus trigger event may be entirely random and not associated with the symbols displayed in the window at all (e.g., a particular quantum of play is reached on the machine, or an accumulating jackpot threshold is reached, unbeknown to the player). Bonuses or bonus events may be triggered by animations, or the combination of animations and a bonus symbol or symbols appearing on the display.
Symbols on a reel are generally divided up between standard symbols and other special symbols, such as bonus symbols or symbols with enhanced payouts or that have other functions. The relative mix and number of bonus symbols to standard symbols appearing on a reel and across reels, and their placement on the reels, provide a prescribed bonusing scheme for the game. When this bonusing scheme is combined with the paytable adopted for a particular game, it also provides a particular volatile character or feel to the game, which is conveyed to the player.
Multiple line games, as well as for providing an easy means of delivering linearity (i.e., ensuring that the probability of winning is maintained proportional to the credits bet per play), also allow the player to choose the particular level of volatility they desire. This provides greater utility for the one game appealing to players who prefer different levels of volatility by choosing the number of paylines they wish to play with.
Some games are designed without defined paylines. In such games, it is common practice to allow players to choose their volatility (and play cost) by rendering certain positions in the matrix inactive and unable to take part in winning combinations. Hence reducing win size and/or frequency.
Games are precisely designed mathematically to provide a prescribed bonusing scheme in combination with a paytable that achieves a return to player requirement that complies with gaming regulations mandated for a particular jurisdiction. Consequently, it is a constant challenge for gaming machine manufacturers to come up with new games that appeal to players that may satisfy their variable need for volatility and provide an entertainment experience.
Accordingly, gaming machine manufacturers are continually designing new and innovative combinations of games and bonusing schemes that have more appeal to players than others in order to add to the sales appeal of a particular gaming machine.